By Robert A. Emmanuel
Former Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Secretary General Gatesworth James has claimed that the political party’s shift away from its original philosophy when it was first founded was a defining reason for his exit.
With general elections in Antigua and Barbuda less than five months away from the constitutionally due date, the DNA has seen what one could consider political turmoil with public resignations of its top officials.
James, who also served as the political candidate for the DNA for St John’s City West, officially resigned on November 3 following the departures of former Chairperson Malaka Parker and former First Vice-President Bruce Goodwin the previous week.
According to DNA statements on the matter, the three were consumed with efforts to “have the DNA merge with and be subsumed by” the United Progressive Party (UPP).
The allegations followed comments made during an interview in February on Observer Radio with Bruce Goodwin and Malaka Parker when the pair hinted at a possible merger with the UPP.
James claimed that DNA President Joanne Massiah had promised to address the issue after he asked on numerous occasions for a diffusion to the situation between party officials and Goodwin—who was still serving as First Vice-President at the time.
“When I dug deeper and gotten more information, it was not a contact made in the light of bringing things together, but it was a contact made because Bruce had his own business and they so happened to be in contact,” he said, referring to talks between Massiah and Goodwin.
He added that he felt no effort was made to bring the team together which, in his words, was a “let-down” and brought “dissention and division”.
“I have always said your leadership is tested in a particular way. When you are going forward or in the middle of a journey and you look back and see no one behind you, then you will understand whether you are making progress or not,” he stated.
He claimed that DNA members were “too bitter” in regard to the relationship with the UPP.
James also spoke in his resignation letter about the unilateral termination of the DNA leadership group, which he addressed during an interview with Observer on Monday.
“I could not get an understanding why this was so; I never recorded it as Secretary General,” he said, claiming that someone had suggested the idea which then became a decision.
“We are getting ready for a general election, and we are not organised which means we are making a big mockery of the institutionalisation of the party,” James said.
He expounded on the point, claiming that the youth within the DNA were more interested in on-the-ground activism than serious debates surrounding public policies for the country.
“They are not as in-depth, they are thinking more—and these are younger folks— of getting the exuberance of getting out on radio programmes, and getting themselves known out there,” he said, adding, “but the in-depth things of politics and the seriousness of running Antigua, thinking about the economy—it really is not their primary facet.”
James claimed that when “10 persons who have founded the party and six of those 10 have gone,” it sent a negative message.
Meanwhile on the DNA’s Facebook page, Massiah reiterated her message that, “the party is in a good place, and we remain resolute in our commitment to champion the principles of transformational leadership, good governance, accountability and transparency in public life and to deliver our motto ‘prosperity for all’.”
Massiah has not responded to requests from Observer for further comment.